When discussing pocket knife safety with Cub Scouts, I found it helpful to have them demonstrate their knowledge with a fake cardboard knife before putting a real knife in their hands. We made the fake pocket knives first. Then we put some lipstick on the “blade” of the knife. They practiced opening, closing, and pretend carving with the cardboard pocket knife. Then they checked their hands for lipstick “cuts”.
This was a fun, hands-on method to go over the safety rules. They were engaged and I could see if they knew how to use their knives correctly before we moved on to carving with real knives.
How to Make a Fake Pocketknife for Safety Demonstrations
Use this cardboard "pocketknife" to show children how to safely handle a knife.
Instructions
- Cut the handle and blade shapes as shown below. The handle is all one piece. The shapes don’t have to be exact. Make them the size of a real pocketknife.
- Punch holes in the cardboard where indicated by the black dots.
- Fold the handle along the center line.
- Insert the blade into the handle, aligning the hole in the blade with the holes in the handle. Remember to orient the blade so that it is facing the same direction as it would in an actual knife.
- Use a brad to attach the blade to the handle.
- Your knife should look something like the image below and you should be able to “open” and “close” it.
Tried this?Let us know how it was!
Do you have a template for the fake pocketknife to print? Thank you!
No, I just drew it free hand.
Cool, great idea!
How are we supposed 2 make sure the handle don’t break when the blade is out? it looks empty on the inside so when you take the blade out the handle will snap.
Is there anyway 2 stop that from happening? Thanks!!! And I love the idea!
Sorry I didn’t mean 2 put a rating don’t look at the rating
You can reinforce it with a little tape. Personally, I didn’t worry about it when we used them. It was just for a little demo.
Ok thanks a lot 🙂